[Watch] Mark Wood outsmarts Travis Head with a quick short ball on Day 3 of 4th Ashes Test
England pacer Mark Wood dismantled Australia's batting unit after the hosts sealed a massive first-innings lead of 275 runs on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford.
Wood employed his nasty short ball ploy to befuddle the Australians. One such delivery caught the middle-order batter Travis Head by surprise.
The England pacer bowled a short and quick delivery that climbed onto Head, who attempted to fend it off. However, the ball lobbed off the southpaw for Ben Duckett to take a comfortable catch at the gully.
Watch the video of the wicket here:
Travis Head is completely bamboozled by the pace and bounce of Mark Wood! 🌪️
Four down. Six to go.
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Head could manage to add just one run after facing seven deliveries. His dismissal left Australia in a lurch as they need to overcome England's heavy lead in the first innings with two days remaining in the match.
Mark Wood had figures of 3/17 at the end of Day 3 in 4th Ashes Test
Mark Wood was introduced in the 11th over of the Australian second innings. The Durham pacer got the better of Usman Khawaja in his first over.
Wood bowled short and quick from round the wicket as Khawaja edged it to the keeper behind the stumps. Although the Australian opener challenged the on-field umpire's decision through DRS, he eventually walked off after the ultra-edge confirmed a nick.
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith tried to keep Australia afloat and resurrect their innings. Just when it looked like their partnership was cruising, Ben Stokes turned up to his strike bowler and Wood did not disappoint his captain.
The right-arm seamer banged one short on the middle stump against Smith, who went for a hook shot but only gloved it to Jonny Bairstow behind the wickets.
See ya, Smudge 😉
Three down. Seven to go.
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Australia ended the third day at 113/4 with Marnus Labuschagne (44*) and Mitchell Marsh (1*) unbeaten. The tourists still need to score 162 runs before they can set a target for their opponents.
Earlier in the day, the likes of Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, and Jonny Bairstow hit crucial fifties to propel their team forward. Bairstow was stranded on 99 not out following the dismissal of last batsman James Anderson off Cameron Green at the end of his team's innings.